WHERE EAGLES DARE!

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Today will probally remain the highlight of the trip, unless I do it again and higher that is, okay today I did my skydive, at Freefall, in Taupo, the adventure capital of the north with a big lake.
Was only a few hours ago, I want the moment preserved.

My trusty brick of an Mp3 provided the bus with the banging tunes to get us in the mood and I was in the first group of 5 to go up, in a very crowded little plane, my 'jumper' was Pete from Germany (good, efficient, sensible and safe people) Was a good take off and climb and was remarkably calm for someone who suffers vertigo on a stepladder.

The pro divers made a few jokes about 'we'll strap you on, if we remember' etc but i was not bothered. Anyway, Sam a young chap from the trip was first, he looked just a little nervous, and out he popped, I thought there would be some time to contemplate, but no way, it was onto the ledge, and before I could look down or protest down I fell!

At first i crunched into the feotal position screaming about going to die, but then like magic my brain accepted the situation and I started shouting "THIS IS THE BEST F**KING THING I HAVE EVER DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (sorry overuse of exclamation marks uncouth but very nessesary!

Put my arms out etc and dived then suddenly the chute was opened and we shot back upwards, the harness gave my crotch a hard time as I descended but it was, well if you've done it you'll know what I"m talking about.

So then the instructor whirled us around abit and my fear of falling returned but not too bad, started a mundane conversation with him about where he came from etc, then realised I could make out sheep etc and then suddenly the groud is coming at you at like 200 miles an hour, but these guys know how to land and i hit the deck and flopped out.

but the feeling of the ground is also superb and then us 5 jumpers felt very privelliged as we had 10 more waiting to jyump buit they aborted on takeoff as a nasty bit of cloud had come in so only us 5 jumped.

Then we got to watch a hastily edited DVD of the show in a little cinema and was almost as mind blowing as the actual jump. I have a copy so be warned, It'll accompany me on all visits etc.

So a couple of drinks tonight (I'm still buzzing like a hyperactive bee) then a early night because I signed up for a hillwalk tommorrow whcih I'll no doubt report on.

Jumping out of a plane at 12,000 feet?

Priceless (if not there is always Mastercard)

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Photos

We both made it back
The special skydiving plane I jumped out of.